We are All Afraid to Die

Last night I watched the movie A Hidden Life. It is about Blessed Franz Jaggerstatter, an Austrian farmer and devout Catholic who refused to swear allegiance to and fight for Hitler in WWII. For this he was put to death in 1943. He has since been declared a Martyr and Beatified by the Church.

This movie was beautiful and deeply disturbing. Why? Because it reminded me that we are all going to die.

People say, “Oh, I am not afraid of death.” Yes, yes they are – they just haven’t faced it so they are blissfully ignorant, maybe willfully ignorant.

What part of death do you fear:

The fear of pain?

The fear of your existence being annihilated after death?

The fear of judgment and possibly hell?

The fear of unfinished business?

The fear of missing loved ones?

The fear of missing out on the pleasures of this life?

Which one of these is the reason you fear death?

How do we prepare for death? Two ways:

Live to the fullest the gift of life God has given you; then detach yourself from some it regularly by penance to make room for the even greater gift God wants to give.